finding these Bishops conformable to the faith of the Nicene councell of which Athanasius had been a principall piller hee admitted them into communion of all spirituall matters And wheras by the dignitie of his sea the charge of all persons did apperteine vnto him hee restored them backe to their Bishoprickes And did write vnto the Bishops of the east blaming them for that they had vnaduisedly iudged of those personages and sent them a mandate that some of them should appeare at a certaine day in the name of the rest who also threatned that he would not afterward let them passe vnpunished if they gaue not ouer to molest others Is not heere plaine proofe of the Bishop of Rome his power and commaunding authoritie ouer the greatest Bishops in the east They appealed vnto him for iudgment hee heard their causes hee reversed the sentences given against them by the Bishops of the east hee finallie restored againe their Bishopricks vnto them cited the others to appeare before him and theatned to punish them if they continued in their ill doeing Hosius ad Imperator Constantium Citatus ab Athanas epist ad solit vitam agentes Ne te misceas Ecclesiasticis neque nobis in hoc genere praecipe sed potius ea à nobis disce tibi Deus imperium coÌ„misit nobis quae sunt Ecclesiae concredidit quemadmodum qui tuum imperium malignis oâ—ulis carpit contradicit ordinationi divinae Ita tu cave ne quae sunt ecclesiae ad te trahens magno crimini obnoxius fiaâ— The same is also witnessed by Athanasius himself in his epistle to them that lead a solitarie life and in his second Apologie where hee doth relate the whole busines and teacheth expresly that it did not belonge to CoÌ„stantius then Emperour to determine ecclesiasticall causes but that he ought to learne them of Bishops To Athanasius I will ioyne Cirillus bicause hee was patriarch of the same sea of Alexandria Cirillus epist 18 ad CelestinuÌ„ and as learned and valiant a maintayner of the third generall councell held at Ephesus as Athanasius had been of the first kept at Nice Extat Tomo 1. Concil Ephes cap 29. This most learned Archbishop confesseth the like commanding power to haue been in Celestinus then pope of Rome that thother did before in Iulius Quoniam vero deus hiscâ— in rebus prudentiam à nobis exigit long aque ecclesiarum consuetudo suadet vt istiusmodi sanctitati tuae communiceÌ„tur non possum equidem quod apertum est ad pietatem non perscribere post malefacta exposita subiungit Et quamvis res ita se habeat non prius tamen illius communionem confidenter deserere ausi fuimus quam haec ipsa pâ—etati tuae indicaremus Digneris proinde quid hic sentias declâ—rare quo liquido nobis constet communicare ne nos cum illo oporteat an vero libere eidem denunciare neminem cum eo communicarâ— qui eiusmodi Erroneam doctrinam fovet praedicat Porro tâ—a integritatis mens ac super hac re sententia non modo pijssimis Macedoniae Epistopis sed totius quoque Orientis Antistibus perspicue per literas exponi debet Thus hee writeth to him Bicause in busines of this nature God requireth of vs wisdome and the long continued custome of the church doth admonish vs to communicate them with your holines I cannot but giue your pietie to vnderstand what is here discouered of Nestorius Bishop then of Constantinople whose foule crimes and pestilent errours when hee had laid open and certified how hee had done his endevour to move him to repentance but all in vaine hee afterward addeth Albeit these things bee soe yet wee durst not forbeare communicating with him before wee had related these things to your pietie Vouchsafe therfore to declare what you deeme to bee done therin that wee may assuredly know whether wee ought to communicate with Nestorius or els boldlâ—e denounce that no man ought to communicate with him that doth dâ—fend such erronious doctrine your holines good pleasure and sentence in this matter is to bee notified not onlie to the Bishops of Macedonia but vnto all the prelates of the east Behold the maÌ„ner of proceeding in these pure times of the church S. Cirill who for learning was perhaps better able then Celestinus to iudge of the errour of Nestorius and being patriarch of Alexandria by his place held the highest court of Iudgment in the east church Celestin Papa Cyrillo Archiepiscopo habetureodem Tomo 1. Concil Ephes cap. 16. yet would hee not take vpon himself to determine of Nestorius heresies or to excommunicate him but referred both vnto the Bishop of Rome whose sentence therin both hee and all the Bishops of the east did require and embrace In this manner did the same pope Celestinus returne answere vnto S. Cirill Most Reverend brother do you take vnto you our authoritie Quamobrem nostra autoritate ascita nostráque vice loco cum potestate vsus eiusmodi non absque exquisita severitate sententiam exequeru nempe vt nisi à decem dierum intervallo ab huius nostrae admonâ—tionis die numerandorum nefariam doctrinam suam conceptis verbis anathematizeâ— eamque de Christi dei nostri â—eneratione fidem in posterum confessurum se spondeat quam Romana tuae sanctitatu ecclesia vniuersa denique religio Christiana praedicat illico sanctitas tua illi ecclesiae prospiciat and vsing our power and place do you execute against Nestorius the sentence of excommunication with exquisite severitie vnles within ten daies after hee hath been admonished from vs hee do recant and recall his errours and let your holines provide a more worthy person for that Bishoprike which mandate of his Cirillus with the whole couÌ„cell following proceeded to the deposition of Nestorius in this maÌ„ner No man doth doubt Tomo secundo eiusdem Concil Ephes cap. 16. Nulli dubium imo seculis omnibus nâ—tum est sanctum beatissimumque Petrum Apostolorum principem caput fideâ—que columnam ecclesiae Catholicae fundamentum à Domino nostro Iesu Christo caelestis regni claues accepisse solvendique atque ligandi potestate quam acceperat vsum fuisse necnon per successores suos huc vsque semper vivere causas decernere semperque victurum esse Huius itaque ordinarius successor vicarius sanctus beatissimusque papa Episcopus noster Celestinus nos suos pro se quasi vicarios misit c. Et hac est praefatio sententia Nos canonum vi sanctissimi que patris comministri nostri Celestini ecclesia Romanae Antistitis epistola compulsi hanc tristem in illam sententiaÌ„ tulimus naie it hath been in all ages notorious that the most blessed S. Peter priÌ„ce head of the Apostles the pillar of faith and foundation of the Catholike church did receive of our Saviour Iesus Christ
is coÌ„mitted do excomunicate and exclude thee and thy wife from the coÌ„munion of the immaculate and sacred misteries And do declare that what Bishop or priests soever shall presume after the knowledge had of these my letters to minister the same to you therby to fall from his dignity and function This learned and holie pope much coÌ„meÌ„ded by S. Austin doubted not but that the Bishop of Rome had sufficient authoritie not onlie to depose and restore patriarches but also to excommunicate Emperours Now to the patriarch of Antioch though Saint Iohn Chrysostomes testimony who had been thirteene yeeres preacher in that citie might suffice yet wee want not others First Flauianus patriarch of Antioch was suÌ„moned to appeare at Rome Flauianus apud Theodoret l. 5. c. 23. Cum eo agit Imperator vt Romam adiret cui respondit Si qui me O Imperator vt fidem minime sinceram ac sanam profitentes insimulent dicantve vitam me traducere indignam sacerdotio tuÌ„ illis ipsis iudicibus vtar tum pronunciatam ab eis sententiam lubens subibo there to answere vnto matters obiected against him who put not in the protestaÌ„ts plea that the Bishop of Rome had no authoritie over him being the highest Bishop in all Asia but made meanes vnto the said pope by the frindship of Theophilus patriarch of Alexandria and S. Chrysostome and so appeased that matter as the Ecclesiasticall historyes do testifie And Theodoret that renowmed Hstoriographer Theodoret Leoni Episcopo Romano Post loâ— sudores labores ne in ius quidem vocatus sum condemnatus Ego autem Apostolicae vestrae sedu expecto sententiam supplico obsecro vestram sanctitatem vt mihi opem ferat iustum vestrum rectum appâ—llanti iudicium iubeat ad vos accurrâ—re ostendere meam doctrinam vestigia Apostolica sequentem ante omnia rogo vt sâ—iam a vobis an in inâ—â—sta hac depositione me oporteat acquiâ—scere an non vestram enim expecto sententià m si iudicatis sâ—are me iusserie stabo nec vlli deinceps homini molestiam exhibebâ— being Bishop of Cirus vnder the patriarch of Antioch did neverthelesse fly by appeale to Leo the great pope of Rome for redresse Thus hee writeth vnto him I attend the sentence of the sea Apostolike and do humblie beseech your holines that you defend and protect me appealing vnto your iust and vpright iudgment seat If you comaund mee to submitt my selfe to their sentence that haue condemned mee I will yeeld to it and neuer bee troublesome to any other Let these suffice for thâ— patriarkship of Antioch There remaines only the patriarch of Ierusalem for whom Anastasius patriarch of the same sea Anastâ—sius pâ—triâ—â—cha Hieâ—osolymâ—â—â—lâ—us epist ad Foelicâ—m papam Fuit seâ—per â—postolicae sedis vâ—stre liâ—â—ntia â—â—iustâ— damnatos vel â—xcommuniâ—atos potestatis suae auctoritate restituâ—re sua omnia eu râ—dderâ— illos qui eos câ—â—demnarunt aut excommunicavâ—â—unt Apostolico punire priuilegio sicut etiam nostris anterioribus novimus factum tempâ—ribuâ— antiquis regulis sancâ—tum est â—t quicquid quamuis tâ—â—â—â—otu prouinâ—â—s super corum querduant accusationibus ageretuâ— non prâ—â—s tractandum vel accipiendum esset quam ad notitiam alma vestra sedis esset deductum vt huâ—us auctoritate iuxta quod fuisset faciendum infirmaretur aut firmaretur about the same time in his letters vnto foelix pope of Rome writeth in this manner It was alwaies the libertie of your Apostolike sea by the authoritie of your power to acquite them that were vniustly condemned and excommunicated and to restore them to all they had lost eveÌ„ as wee haue seene done in our times and haue heard in the daies of our predecessors for saith hee a litle after it is by ancient Canons decreed that whatsoever bee handled about the affaires of Bishops yea though in prouinces farre remote that the same should not bee fullie determined before it were brought to the notice of your holie sea and by the aucthority therof bee either confirmed or reiected This great and ancient Patriarch not only witnesseth such soveraigne power and authoritie to belonge vnto the Bishop of Rome but pleadeth also for the same out of the former approved Canons of the Church Among which that of the councel of Sardica I hold to bee the chiefest Ex concilio Sardicense c. 4. Quod si aliquis episcopus adiudicatus fuerit in aliqua causa putat se bonam causam habere vt iterum iudicium renouetur si vobis placet S. Petri Apostoli memoriam honoremus vt scribatur Romano Pontifici si iudicauerit renouandum esse iudicium renouetur det iudicos si autem probauerit talem causam vt ea non refriceutur quae acta sunt Quae decreuerit Romanus Pontifex confirmata erunt Si ergo omnibus placeat statuatur synodus respondit placet c. 5. Alter episcopus post talem appellationem in eadem cathedra no admittetur nisi causa fuerit in iudicio Romani Pontificis determinata where it is in expresse tearmes decred that if any Bishop of what countrie soever have his cause iudged otherwise then hee thinketh right hee may appeale vnto the Bishop of Rome who maie appoint new Iudges and send them to heare it againe and finallie determine it Now that they who haue lesse skill in ancient histories may vnderstand of what creditt that councell of Sardica is Let theÌ„ know first that it was called by Iulius Bishop of Rome Secondly there were present that famous Hosius who was one of the presidents of the Nicene councell And Athanasius with many other renowmed Bishops which had been members of the said first generall councell of Nice and above 300. Bishops came thither both out of the East and west as a Athan. Apolog 2 in medio Athanasius writeth wherfore hee tearmeth it instar Niceni such an other as the first Nicene councell was b Sulpit. l. 2. sacra histor Sulpitius Severus tearmeth it a councell called from all parts of the word c Socrat. l. 2 hist c. 16. Socrates in his history a generall councell Briefly the Centuriators of Magdeburg Centur. 4. cap. 99. do approve the same councell for Authenticall These few testimonies for the supreme power and authoritie of the Bishop and church of Rome being taken from verie eminent sincere and learned personages who in the florishing time of Christianity governed the patriarchall seas of the greeke and east churches confirmed also with the acts and sentences of the generall councell of Ephesus Chalcedon and Sardica cannot but giue full satisfaction vnto all true Christians that even in the purest antiquitie the popes coÌ„manding power and superioritie in government was beleeved practized and approved all Christendome over 14 After so many plaine demonstrations of the Bishops of Romes supremacie in causes ecclesiasticall I hope the curteous reader will
church of Rome nor makes any comparison in matter of higher nature but all this is deuised and thrust in out of the fecundity of M. Abbots vnderstanding yet let vs grant that S. Ciprian might meane that the Bishops in Africk had no loss authoritie to Iudg of their own subiects faults then any other Bishops yea then the Bishop of Rome himself hath It doth not thervpon ensue that he thought the Bishops in Africke not inferiour vnto the Bishop of Rome For in times past in our owne countrey when it was Catholike and now in France men cannot appeale to Rome from the ordinarie courts of their owne countrie without speciall licence and yet in farr greater matters they acknowledg the pope to be their supreme governor in causes Ecclesiasticall But of this point we shall speake more in the next obiection which is thus propounded by M. Abbot R. AB 21 The African councell acknowledged the church of Rome for the first and principall sea Concil Afric cap. 6. and the Bishop therof they tearme the Bishop of the first and principall sea and yet they deny the Bishop of Rome to haue anie authority over them yea when zozimus Bonifacius and Celestinus chalenged the same by a forged Canon of the councell of Nice Ibid. can 101. Those African Bishops for the disproving therof sent to the patriarches of Alexandria and Constantinople for autenticall copies of the same councell wherin they found no such matter And thervpon wrote to Celestinus that he should forbeare to send his legates to intermeddle in their matters Ibid can 105. And forbad all appeales saving to their owne councells excommunicating them that presumed to appeale to Rome Ibid. can 92. And in this recusancy of subiection they continued afterward for the space of an hundreth yeeres vntill Eulalius the Bishop of Carthage submitted the same to Pope Boniface w. B. This councell of Africk and fact of the African Bishops there assembled is very often in all protestants mouthes and writings therfore I will more particulerly examin it and make somwhat a longer staie vpon it M. Abbot coÌ„mitts two faults in his first allegation out of the sixt canon of that councell the former of ignorance in that he doth applie that to the Bishop of Rome which the councell speaketh of the Archbishop of Carthage their owne primate and Metropolitane whom though they would haue to be obeyed as primats are in all other countries yet they desired that hee should forbeare that statlie stile and title of primacie and be contented to be called Bishop of the first sea his other fault is an audacious averring them to deny that Bishop to haue any authoritie ouer them of which in that canon there is never a word But the plaine contrarie is therin implied For they there speaking of their owne Metropolitane they must needs bee vnderstood being no Puritanes to acknowledg him to haue authoritie over all other Bishops in the same province In the 101 Canon which M. Abbot doth alleage in the second place he over reacheth also not a little For wheras those Bishops do humbly request his holines not to grant deputies to everie one that shall come to Rome to demaund them he saies they willed the pope not to intermeddle at all in their matters And in the third place cited by them to witt Canon 92 there is a notorious falsification for wheras that councell doth forbid onlie priests and deacons other inferiour persons to appeale to Rome M. Abbot saies they forbid all appeales wheras they speake not of Bishops of whom principally the question was but leaue that in the state wherin it was before This by the waie to shew how corruptly M. Abbot cites his authors and how litle coÌ„science hee makes to deceiue his seely reader that is so simple as to believe what he saith Now to the maine matter of the 101 Canon which hee cites in the secoÌ„d place which well considered doth rather confirme the popes authoritie over those Africane Bishopes then infirme it For albeit the Bishops of Africk did not acknowledg any such canon to be in the councell of Nice which by the popes legat was alledged to prove that appellations might be made out of Africk or anie other countrie vnto Rome in some cases yet they did so behaue themselues therin that anie reasonable man may perceiue their great affectioÌ„ and humble obedience vnto the same sea of Rome For they not finding in their owne copies of the Nicene counsell that which was put into the Legats instructions desired respite to make enquiry after the best copies and in the meane season promised obedience These be their words These things that out of the said instructioÌ„s are alleaged vnto vs concerning the appeales of Bishops Concilium Carthag nomine sextum ordine 5. n. 4. Ista nos tamen tantisper seruatioros vt anteaâ— dixi donec integra exemplaria veniant profitemâ—r Petendus est autem litteris nostris venerabilis Ecclesia Romanae Episcopus Bonifacius vt ipse quoque dignetur ad memoratas ecclesias alâ—quos mittere qui eadem exemplaria praedicti Niceni Concilij secundum eius possint scripta proferre In Epistola Concilij ad Bonifacium cap. 101. Quod donec fiant hac quae in commonitorio supradicto nobis allegata sunt de appellationibus Episcoporum ad Romanae sedis Sacerdotem nos vsque ad probationem seruaturos esse profitemur beatitu inem tuam ad hoc nos adiuturam in dei voluntate confidimus vnto the Bishop of Rome c of priests causes to bee determined by the Bishops of their owne provinces wee do professe and promise to obserue vntill due triall of those canons be made trust in the will of God that your holines will helpe vs thervnto If those Reuerend and holy Bishops of Africa had been infected with the leauen of the protestants they would haue soone answered as M. Abbot here vntrulie reporteth they did that the Bishop of Rome had no authority ouer them and haue willed him to keepe himself within his owne bounds and not to intermeddle with the matters of Africk But they contrariwise promised obedience vntill true triall were made which argueth that the custome before was for bishops to appeale to Rome and therfore that to be continued vntill proofe could bee made to the contrarie according to that axiome of the law Let him that is in possessioÌ„ keepe his possession vntill good proofe bee brought against him Quia melior est conditio possidentis Secondly when those reverend fathers had receiued copies from Alexandria and Constantinople wherin were not contained any Canons for appealing to Rome they certified the same in these submissiue words Praefato debito salutationis officio impendio deprecamur c Cap. 105. Prafato it aque debita salutationis officio impendio deprecamur vt deinceps ad vestras aures hinc venientes non facilius admit tatis The
dutie of our bounden salutations premised wee do earnestly request and pray you that you will not too easilie admitt to your audience them that come from hence And before their letters they sett this title Dilectissimo Domino to their best beloued Lord and most honorable brother Do not these humble words of bounden dutie vnto their Lord notifie what esteeme they made of the Bishop of Rome They saie indeed that they found neither in the Canons of the Nicene councell nor in anie other of their fathers that the Bishop of Rome should send anie legats into their country to heare and determine their causes wherin by the leaue of such worthy personages be it spoken they shew that they had not read or well considered the Canons of the councell holden at Sardica which was both verie generall and most autenticall as I haue proved before for in that councell it is expresly decred that any Bishop of what coast or countrie soever may appeale vnto the Bishop of Rome Concil Sard. ca. 4. 7. And that the said Bishop of Rome maie depute and send others to the place where the Bishops appellants do dwell to heare and determine all such causes And most probable it is that those holy popes Zozimus Bonifacius and Celestinus meant the same canons of the councell of Sardica which they called the Canons of the Nicene councell because that councell of Sardica was both holden by some of the same principall persons that were at the Nicene councell as Hosius Athanasius and such like and did also treat much about the same matters wherfore it is said to be ioyned in the Roman copy with the councell of Nice and reputed as an appendix or parcell of it And therin perhaps was the errour cōmitted that the popes having both these councells compact into one named the canons of both after the more principall and more renowmed councell of Nice calling them the canons of the Nicene councell which in rigour were but the canons of the councell of Sardica yet that councell of Sardica being of the same authoritie and binding power they in alleaging them vnder the name of the Nicene did not offer any wrong vnto those Bishops of Africk exacting onely that that their right might bee preserved entire among them which by the approued canons of the church was due vnto their seat And these reverend prelates of the African church were the more excusable for that they had not seen perhaps any true copie of the approued councell of Sardica at that time the place being verie remote from them and the litle space of time which was betweene the two councels of Sardica and Afrike having been also most troblesome by reason of the Arrians manifold violent persecutions this much in brief of that great busines wherby it appeareth cleerly that although these reuerend prelates of Africk held it much more expediēt that all perticuler cōtroversies about meū tuum concerning misdemeanors and crimes should be handled in the place where the parties and witnesses were knowen where all particulers might bee more narowly sifted and with more speed and less charges tried then a far of in a forrain countrie yet for matter of faith and rites of religion they never denyed the explicatiō or determinatiō therof to appertaine to the Bishop of Rome Appeales to Rome in matters of law haue been in our owne countrie when it was Catholike forbidden without the expresse leaue of the prince and at this daie are in the Christiā countrie of France without any deniall of the popes supreme cōmanding power in cases Ecclesiasticall which is all and more too then the African councell did Conc. Afri c. 92. Item placuit vt presbyteri diaconi vel caeteri inferiores clerici si de iudiciis episcoporū suorum questi fuerint c. for that doth only forbid priests and inferior persons to appeale thither leaving all Bishops art their libertie so that in fine if all were grāted which M. Abbot goeth about to prove yet it is not sufficient to infringe the supremacy of the pope for albeit appeales to Rome in matter of law were prohibited yet recourse thither for matter of faith and religiō being approued stāding good the supremacy is sufficiently maintained 21 Notwitstanding because the fact of the African councell is holdē by the Protestāts who for wāt of greater proofe are faine to make much of a little to be very preiudiciall vnto the supremacy of the sea of Rome I will heere produce some testimonies of the best learned most approued Africā Doctors in favor of the pope church of Romes supreme power over Afrike it self The first shal be S. Ciprian who as in dignitie was primate of Afrike so for his great wisedome and learning was inferior to few and in his glorious martirdome over went the rest This right worthy Archbishope declareth plainly that they were not accustomed to end all their controversies at home Ciprian Epistola 45. ed Pam. Sed cum statuissemus collegae complures qui in vnum conueneramus vt legatis ad vos Episcopis nostris Caldonio fortunato omnia interim integra suspenderentur donec ad nos ijdem collegae a nostri venirent But he himself with the assent of other Bishops did send two Bishops the one called Calidonius the other Fortunatus vnto Cornelius then pope of Rome recomēding their causes vnto him And sheweth how in the meane season whiles their causes were before him the Bishops of Africa would liue in suspence expecting his iudgment Is not this an evidēt demonstration that the Bishops of Africk in S. Ciprians times which was within 200. yeres of Christ held the court of Rome to be ouer and aboue their owne which yet S. Ciprian in the same epistle doth more expresly declare Ibidem Nos etiam singulis nauigantibus ne cum scandalo vllo nauigarent rationem reddentes scimus nos hortatos eos esse vt ecclesiae Catholicae radicem matricem agnoscerent actenerent when he doth exhort and councell the appellants that went to Rome to cary themselues there without scādall and to aknowledg and obserue the church of Rome as the roote or foundation and mother of the Catholike church Ex Epistola Stephani Archiep concil Africae ad Damasum Papam habetur Tomo 1. Concil inter Epistolas damasi Notum vestrae facimus beatitudini quod quidam fratres in confinio nobis positi quosdam fatres nostros venerabiles videlicet Episcopos vobis inconsultis a proprio deijciunt gradu vel deiicere moliuntur cum vestrae sedi Episcoporum iudicia summorum finem ecclesiasticorum negotiorum in honore beatissimi Petri patrum decreta omnium cunctam reseruauere sententiam c. Stephen a reuerend Bishop of Mauritania in Afrike who liued before that African councell thus writeth to pope Damasus wee make knowē vnto your holines that some Bishops our neighbors haue gone about to depose
other reuerend Bishops not acquainting you with that matter wheras the iudgment of Bishops and finall determinatioÌ„ of their principall causes by the decrees of our fathers doth in honor of blessed S. Peter belong vnto your sea Is not this a most plaine aknowledgment of the Bishop of Romes commanding authoritie ouer the churches of Afrike And because no exception can be iustly taken either against pope Damasus learning and integritie or against his writings whose secretary somtimes was S. Hierome I will set downe his answer vnto the said African Bishop These bee his words Ex Epistola 4. damasi ad eundem Stephanum ad concilia Africae Nos qui supra domum eius hoc est vniuersalem ecclesiam Catholicam Episcopale suscepimus ministerium solicite vigilare de bemus etc scitis fatres dilectissimi firmamentum a deo fixum immobile atque titulum lucidissimum suorum sacerdotum id est omnium episcorum Apostolicam sedem esse constitutam verticem ecclesiarum Tu es enim sicut diuinum pronunciat verbum veraciter Petrus c cuius vice dei gratia hodie fungimur ideo omnia quae innotuistis non licere mandarem nisi vos tam plene instructos scirem quod cuncta super quibus consuluistis illicita esse non dubitetis discutere namque episcopos summas ecclesiasticorum negotiorum causas metrapolitano vna cum comprouincialibus licet sed definire ecclesiasticarum summas querelas causarum vel damnare episcopos absque huius sanctae sedis auctoritate minime licet ad quam omnes appellare si necesse fuerit eius fulcire auxilio oportet It behoveth vs that haue receiued Episcopall charge ouer the house of our lord that is the vniuersall church to watch carfully that nothing which belonges to that function be wanting c. you most beloued brother do know the sea Apostolike constituted of God an vnmoueable fortresse and the head of all churches which he proues by our Saviours words Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my church averring the Bishops of Rome to be S. Peters successors and Christs vicars and at length saith That it is lawfull for Metropolitans to heare and discuss the causes of Bishops their suffragans but vnlawfull to determin them finallie without the authoritie of the sea of Rome vnto which it was lawfull for all Bishops to appeale when need required and there to find reliefe I come now to some other councells that were held in Africk immediatly before that African in which were present most of the same prelates The councell holden at Mileuitan writeth to Innocentius the first who was pope next before Zozimus to whom succeeded Bonifacius and Celestinus in this manner Bicause our lord of his speciall grace hath placed you in the sea Apostolike and hath afforded you such a one in our times Ex Epist 92. inter ep D. Aug. Quia te Dominus gratiae suae precipuo munere in sede Apostolica collocauit talemque nostris teÌ„poribus praestitit vt nobis potius ad culpam negligentia valeat si apud tuam venerationem quae pro Ecclesia suggerenda sunt tacâ—erimus quam ea tu pos is vel fastidiose vel negligenter accipere magnis periculis infirmorum membrorum Christi pastoralem diligentiam quaesvmus aâ—hibere digneris c. Multo plures qui eius sensuo diligentius indagare potuerunt aduersus euÌ„ progratia Christi et Catholicae fidei veritate confliguÌ„t praecipue sanctus filius tuus frater compresbiter noster Hieronimus Sed arbitramur adiuuante misericordia Domini Dei nostri Iesu Christi qui te regere consulentem orantem exaudire dignatur autoritati sanctitatis tuae de sanctorum scripturarum autoritate de promptae facilius eos qui tam peruersa perniciosa sentiunt esse cessuros that it may be rather imputed to the blame of our negligence if we conceale from your holines those things that are to be referred to the church then that you can either disdainfully or carlesly heare vs. wee therfore beseech you that you will vouchsafe to applie your pastorall diligence vnto the weake members of Christ c. Many others that could trace out the errors of Pelagius haue entred the combat with him in defence of the grace of Christ of the truth of the Catholike faith namely your holie sonne our brother fellow priest Hierome but through the mercies of Christ who will vouchsafe to heare you praying direct you giuing counsell wee bee of opinioÌ„ that they will sooner yeeld vnto the authoritie of your holines being deriued from the authoritie of holie scriptures This epistle is recorded amoÌ„g S. Austins so is another of that councell held at Carthage about the same time wherin the Bishop of Africa wrote thus to the same pope Holy Lord and brother we haue thought good to relate to you what we haue done Ex epist xc inter D. Aug. epistolas Hoc itaque gestum Domine frater sancte charitati tuae intimandum duximus vt statutis nostra mediocritatis etiam Apostolicae sedis adhibeatur autoritas pro tuenda salute multorum quorundam peruersitate etiam corrigenda that vnto the decrees of our mediocrity may be adioyned the authoritie of the sea Apostolike aswell for the preserving of manie mens saluation as for the correcting of some persons deprauation By both which Epistles we may easily perceiue how the African Bishops esteemed the church of Rome to bee the sea Apostolike to be that head church vnto which the affaires of higher nature are to bee referred That it had pastorall charge ouer the Churches of Africke that it had authority warranted by the word of God for the defining of matter of faith vnto which even heretikes would yeeld sooner then vnto any other though esteemed never so learned And therfore they sent the decrees of their councell vp to Rome to be confirmed by the pope All this being of record in approved African councels holden about the same time and by the same persons that were at that other African councell what reason hath anie man to thinke that therin the Bishop of Rome was forbidden to intermeddle in their affaires of Afrike Ex Epist D. Aug. IOB Missae sunt itaque de hac re ex duobus conciliis Carthaginensi et Mileuitano relationes ad Apostolicam sedem c. scripsimus etiam ad beatae memoria papam Innocentium c. Ad omnia nobis ipse rescripsit eodem modo quofas erat atque oportebat Apostolica sedis Antistitem S. Austin himself relateth both that these two councells to witt of Carthage and of Mileuitane had written vnto pope Innocentius and further doth assure vs that the popes answer to them was sound such as did well beseeme the sea Apostolike I will therfore be bold to acquaint the Reader with the same his answer These be his words You do
the redeemer of mankind the keies of the kingdome of heaven and the power of loosing and binding And that also even vnto these daies hee doth in his successors liue and determine causes and shall alwaies liue To him doth Celestinus now Bishop of Rome in right order succede finally by vertue of power receiued from the said Celestinus they proceede to pronounce senteÌ„ce against Nestorius Bishop of Constantinople All which set togither standing of record in the third generall councell doth demonstrate that the Easterne church did acknowledge both the Bishop of Rome to bee S. Peters lawfull successor And that it also did appertaine to him to excommunicate and depose principall Bishops of the Greeke and Easterne church which no man can doubt to bee principall and most proper actes of supreme power in government with this I will linke another like example practised and recorded in the fourth generall councell held at Chalcedon Dioscorus patriarch of Alexandria being for his erronious opinions and enormious actions called in question was convented to answere in that generall councell first all the actions that are entered against Dioscorus are stiled thus Concil Chalced. actio 3. Libellus Theodoridiaconi ad Leonem PapaÌ„ ad Chalced coÌ„cilium Libellus Iscyronis ad Leonem nem PapaÌ„ Chalcedon conciliuÌ„ Vnto the most holy and most happie Archbishop of the great and old Rome Leo and to the generall councell assembled at Chalcedon Setting the Bishop of Rome as head before the generall couÌ„cell as his bodie which in expresse tearmes the whole couÌ„cel acknowledgeth writing vnto the said pope Leo the great That hee was President over them Quibus tu quidem sicut membris caput praeâ—ras quam velut auro textam seriem ex veste Christi praecepto legislatoris venientem vsque ad nos ipse servasti vocis beati Petri omnibus constitutus interpres eius si lei beatificationem super omnes adducâ—ns even as the head is to the rest of the members that the custodie of our lords vineyard was coÌ„mitted to him that hee was the interpreter of Saint Peters sentence Observe secondlie the forme of their definitiue sentence which is thus set downe The most holie and most blessed Archbishop of great and old Rome Leo Ibidem in exemplari epist Paschacini Vnde sanctissimus ac beatissimus Papa caput vniuersalis ecclesiae Leo per nos vt lâ—gatos suos sancta synodo consentiente Petri Apostoli praeditus dignitate qui ecclesiae fundamentum et petra fidei calestis regni lanitor nuncupatur Episcopali eum Dioscorum dignitate nudavit ab omni sacerdotali opere facit exortem by vs and this present holy councell together with the most happie most worthy Apostle S. Peter who is the rock and topp of the Catholike church hee who is the foundation of the Orthodox and true faith hath deposed Dioscorus from all Episcopall dignitie and deprived him of all priestlie function and ministery First let it bee well obserued and borne in mind that all the parts of this my discourse be verified in the sentences of these two generall councells First that S. Peter was that rocke vpon which Christ built his church Secondlie that the Bishop of Rome succeeded him therin Thirdlie that in the vertue therof is comprehended power and authoritie to vphold the Orthodox saith and to punish and depose the highest patriarches in the church aswell of the east as of the west if they do obstinatlie trouble the peace of Christs church This having been by the verdict and practise of the pure Church in ancieÌ„t time so cleerly testified in two of those prime generall councells which the Protestants themselues do confesse to bee Orthodox and authenticall what reasonable Christian can take anie exception against it yet for more full confirmation of this most important point of our faith I will passe through all the patriarchall seas and out of each of them choose some sufficient proofe for the popes supremacie in gouernment Athanasius patriarch of Alexandria was absolued and restored by Iulius pope of Rome Dioscorus of the same sea was excomunicated and deposed by Leo the great Nestorius patriarch of Constantinople was in like manner censured and depriued by Celestinus pope of Rome of whom wee haue alreadie treated Now to S. Iohn Chrysostom Bishop of the same city of Constantinople who was absolued and restored to his Bishopricke by Innocentius the first pope of Rome This verie learned zealous and godly prelate and most eloquent preacher was through the malice of the Empresse Eudoxia assisted by her husbaÌ„d the emperour Archadius deposed hoised out of his seate euen by the verdict of many Easterne Bishops assembled in a councell wherof Theophilus patriarch of Alexandria was the head wher vpon hee treading in the noble stepps of Athanasius and diuerse other good Bishops made his appeale to InnoceÌ„tius pope of Rome craving of him to reuerse that vniust sentence which had been given against him Innocentio Papae Ioannes Chrisost ex palladio in vita eius Quapropter ne confusio haec omnem quae sub coelo est nationem enuadat obsecro vt scribatis quod baec tam inique facta absentibus nobis non declinantibus iudicium non habeant robur sicut nec sua natura habent Illi autem qui inique egerunt poena â—cclesiasticarum legum subâ—aceant nobis vero qui nec conuicti nec redarguti nec habiti vt rei literis vestris charitate vestra aliorumque omnium quorum scilicet anâ—ea societate fruâ—bamur fâ—ui concâ—dite these bee his words I beseech thee holie father that their sentence so vniustly giuen in my absence I not refusing iudgement maie bee of no validity furthermore that they who haue done mee that wrong may according to the lawes of the church bee punished And commaund that I being innocent and not to bee convicted of any crime may bee restored to my church againe See most evident acknowledgment of the Bishop of Romes power to repeale the sentence of a councell holden in the greeke church by the greatest patriarch of those coasts yea and to inflict punishment vpon them Item to restore Saint Iohn Chrisostome to his Bishopricke againe which Innocentius effected Ex epist 30. Innocent ad Archadium ex Nicepho 10 l. 13. c. 34. Itaque ego minimus peccator cui thronus magni Apostoli Petri creditus est segrego to illam a perceptione immaculatorum mysterioruÌ„ Christi dei nostri Episcopum etiam omnem aut clericum ordinis sancta dei ecclesiae qui administrare aut exhibere â—a vobis ausuâ— fuerit ab ea hora qua presenteâ— vinculi meilegeritis literas dignitate sua excidisse decerne thundering out a most terrible sentence of excomunication against the Emperour Archadius in these tearmes I the least of Gods seruaÌ„ts and a sinner vnto whom the throne of the great Apostle S. Peter
giue mee leaue to imploy one probable presumption that in my poore opinion doth much fortifie the same It is collected out of those letters which in ancient time were called literae formatae and granted either vnto Bishops at their first creation or vnto priests that were dismissed by licence from their ordinary This kind of letters was in great vse in the primitiue church for no stranger was admitted into communion among the Catholiks without them The invention of these leters is referred to the first generall councell holden at Nice and the forme of them is recorded authentically in the end of the Chalcedon councell immediatlie before the letters of the Illustrious persons that wrote in or about that councell vnder this title Atticus Episcopus qualiter formata Epistola fiat In this epistle fower letters principally were set for an assured token that hee in whose favour they were granted was a sound Catholike The three former letters were the first letters of the father of the sonne and of the holy Ghost to testifie that hee believed aright in the blessed Trinitie and therfore was no Arrian Sabellian Macedonian or such like heretike the fourth letter in that formall Epistle was a the first letter of S. Peters name therby to signifie that the bearer was receiued into the vnitie of that church of which S. Peter as chief governor kept the keies the other letters of his name that graÌ„ted that Epistle Distinct 73. ca. 1. to whom it was granted I omitt as not necessary to this purpose hee that will may see a copiâ— of such an Epistle sett downe at large in Gratian where the misterie also of these letters is deciphered to bee such as I haue declared namely that the fourth letter was put for S. Peters name to make knowen that the bearer therof was a true member of that church in qua Petro datum est ius ligandi atque absoluendi in which to S. Peter was giuen the right of binding and loosing Out of which notable monument of antiquitie I draw this argument so well assured it was and a thing so notoriously knowne and approved in those purer daies of the primitiue church that S. Peter and the popes of Rome his successors were the chief governors of Christs church and the insoluble band of the vnitie therof that the first letter of S. Peters name was chosen for an vndoubted badge and token of being a sound member receiued into the vnity of the said Catholike church for why should the first letter of S. Peters name rather then any other of the Apostles bee taken for such an infallible marke of society with the catholike church had it not been a cleere overuled case that hee who like an even squared stone lay vpon that rocke and did adhere vnto the head of the church was vndoubtedly a true member therof This argument as it shall serue for a coÌ„clusion of that which goeth before so it will make a conuenient passage to that which followeth in M. Abbots text 15 There was saith hee a church when there was no Roman church at all how then could that church bee builded vpon the Roman church This is a verie poore obiection for speaking as wee now do of the church which was since our Saviours time if hee take that season next to Christs ascension S. Peter was head of that church during his owne life and after him the Bishops of Rome his lawfull successors No man ever said that the church or Bishop of Rome was head of the church before S. Peter had placed his seate there If M. Abbot will accord vs that ever since that time the church of Rome hath been head of the rest as in truth it hath been wee will easily grant him that before it had no such priviledg Another like slugg M. Abbot thrusteth forth thus If the church of Rome bee that rock and other churches bee builded thervpon then it would follow that the gates of hell should never haue prevailed against any other of those churches but it hath prevayled against them Ergo. True good Sir if those other churches had stuck close to the said rocke the gates of hell had never prevailed against them but they foolishly flitting from that firme rocke were sowsed in the surging seas and swallowed vp by the gulfe of hell M. Abbot saw this to bee so full an answere that hee could not tell what to saie to it but that wee haue no assurance that the church of Rome shall continue alwaies builded vpon Christ Iesus this is M. Abbots last refuge and to it as to a safe anchor he doth twenty times fly in this book wherfore it shall haue a full answer in its due place but let vs first see whether the Bishops of Rome be S. Peters lawfull successors because that comes next M. Abbot doth either graunt it to bee true or at least hee supposeth it for true for hee disproues it not wherfore I need not staÌ„d loÌ„g about it so much the rather because it is recorded by S. Iraeneus Iren. l. 3. v. 3. Tertull. de prescr 36. Euseb l. 2. hist c. 2. Epiphar heres 27. Optat. mi leuit l. 2. perm Hieron de viris ill 1. August Epistola 1â—5 Tertullian Eusebius Optatus mileuitanus S. Hierom S. Austin and briefly by the full consent of all that haue made anie Catalogue of S. Peters successors It is evident and confessed by both sides that our Saviour established such a forme of government in his church that hee would haue to continew as long as the same church continued that is alwaies to the worlds end which was according to our doctrine that one should bee head and supreme gouernor over all the rest to preserue vnity in faith and conformity in rites of religion And by name that one was S. Peter for his life time All which I haue before proved out of holy scriptures and the ancient fathers S. Peter finally making choise of Rome for the seat of his Bishoprick liued there many yeres and in the end died Bishop of Rome wherfore they that were choseÌ„ Bishops of Rome were to succede him as in that seate so in that supreme governmeÌ„t of Christs church which daily experience teacheth vs. for wee see that whosoever is chosen bishop of any place for example of Canterburie hee presentlie vpon his installing entreth vpon all the priuiledges of honour and government which the former Bishops his predecessors died possessed of so that no sooner any man is created Archbishop of Canterbury but that imÌ„ediatly hee is therby Metropolitane of England and hath comanding authority ouer all the Bishops of that prouince with law full Iurisdiction to heare and determyne all such causes that by appeale do come to his courts In like maÌ„ner Linus being chosen Bishop of Rome after the death of S. Peter entred into possession of full power authoritie not onlie ouer the Diocese of Rome but also over all the Bishops of Christs church
diligently Ex epistola 93. Diligenter ergo congrue Apostolico consulitis honori honori inquam illius quem praeter illa quae sunt extrinsecus solicitudo manet omnium Ecclesiarum super anxijs rebus quae sit tenenda sententia antiqua scilicet regulae formam sequuti quam toto semper ab orbe mecum nostis esse seruatam verum haec missa facio neque enim hoc vestram credo latere prudentiam Qui id etiam actione firmastis scientes quod per omnes prouincias ab Apostolico fonte potentibus responsa semper emanant praesertim quoties fidei ratio ventilatur arbitror omnes fratres coepiscopos nostros non nisi ad Petrum id est sui nominis honoris autorem referre debere velut nunc retulit vestra dilectio quod per totum mundum possit omnibus Ecclesiis in commune prodesse and as it becometh you respect the honor of the sea Apostolik the honor I say of it that besides her owne particuler hath a great care of all churches to declare vnto them what is to be holden of cōtroversies that do arise wherin you do follow the forme of the old Canōs which as you know haue been observed all the world ouer This I let passe bicause your wisdomes be not ignorāt of it but haue by your owne deed confirmed it knowing that answers do flow from the sea Apostolike as from a fountaine into all coūtries that demaūd the same and specially where the substance of faith is sifted out then I thinke that all our brethren and fellow bishops ought to referr the decision and determination therof vnto no other then vnto S. Peter the author of their owne name and order as your charity hath now done This I hope is plaine enough to demonstrate that in pure antiquitie the Bishops of Africk and other countries for the decision of controuersies in matters of doctrine specially were bound to seeke vnto the Bishop of Rome S. Austin as all men know was one of the greatest lights not only of the Africā church but of the whole world since his daies Hee was also present att the same African councell let vs heare whether hee thought that the Bishop of Rome had nothing to doe with the affaires of Africk or that the African Bishops might not appeale to Rome First hee with the other Bishops present at the councels of Carthage and Mileuitan did send the decrees of the same councell to bee confirmed of the pope of which I haue alreadie spoken Ex epistola D. August 261. ad papam Celestinum Collabora obsecro nobiscum pietate venerabilis domine beatissime papa iube tibi qua directa sunt omnia recitari vide Episcopatum qualiter gesserit c. existat exemplo ipsa sede Apostolica iudicata firmante subueni hominibus opem tuam in Christi misericordia multo auidius quam ille poscentibus 2 Hee writeth vnto pope Celestinus about the cause of an African Bishop requesting him to pervse all that had passed about him in Africk and to confirme their former iudgments wherin he acknowledgeth the court of Rome to bee aboue the highest courts in Africk 3 He testifieth that pope Zozimus had authoritie to establish Bishops in Africk and to call a councell there shewing how hee himself was by him sommoned to assist at the same councell in these words Aug. epistola 157. Litera quas ad Mantoniam Caesariensem misisti me apud Caesaream presente venerunt quo nos iniuncta nobis a venerabili papa Zozimo Apostolica sedis Episcopo Ecclesiastica Necessitas traxerat Ecclesiasticall necessitie being enioyned vs by the venerable pope Zozimus bishop of the sea Apostolike we were drawen vnto Cesarea in Mauritania 4 In the same Epistle he declareth how two notable heretikes Pelagius his disciple Celestius were cōdemned vnles they did repent all the world over Ibidem Cuius haeresis vel auctores vel certi acerrimi suasores cum Pelagius Calestinus extitissent conciliorum Episcopalium vigilantia in adiutorio saluatoris qui suam tuetur Ecclesiam etiam a duobus venerabilibus Antistitibus Apostolicae sedis papa Innocentio papa Zozimo nisi correcti etiam egerint paenitentiam toto Christiano Orbe damnati sunt by two renowmed popes Innocentiu and Zozimus wherfore he tooke their power to stretch all the world over where also having cited the decree of Zozimus in his owne words adioyneth this high commendation to it in these words of the sea Apostolike is comprehended so authentike so well grounded so certaine and cleere a definitiō of the Catholike faith that it were an impietie for anie christian man to doubt of it 5 So doth he commend the sentence of Melchiades pope of Rome giuen for Cecilianus Archbishop of Carthage against Donatus in these wordes The finall sentence pronounced by Melchiadis Qualis ipsius beati Melchiadis vltima est probata sententia quam innocens quam integra quam prouida atque pacifica paulo post O virum optimum o filium Christianae pacis patrem Christianae plebis how innocent was it how sound how prouident peaceable and a litle after O most excellent mā the sonne of Christian peace and the father of Christian people And of the same good Archbishop Cecilianus Ibidem Episcopus Carthaginis Cecilianus potuit non curare conspirantem multitudinem inimicorum cum se videret Romana Ecclesiae in qua semper Apostolica cathedrae viguit principatus cateris vnde Euangelium ad Africam venit per communicatorias literas esse coniunctum S. Austin saith in the same place that hee needed not care for the multitude of his enemies conspiring against him so long as he saw himself by comunicatory letters ioyned with the church of Rome in which alwaies the principalitie of the Apostolike chaire did florish c. Saint Austin then directing with others the decrees of their councell to be confirmed by the pope teaching also that it were an impiety to doubt of his sentence further affirming that he could condemne heretikes all the world over doth plainly signifie that he held the definition of the sea of Rome for matter of faith to be inviolable Againe walking himself with other Bishops of Africk to a councell at the popes commandement and holding the popes sentence for a finall determination of the African bishops Ecclesiasticall affaires yea avouching in plaine words that the primacy of the Apostolike sea had alwaies florished at Rome All these specialties considered who can doubt but that Saint Austin both in that African councell and ever after was of opinion that the pope of Rome might intermeddle with the Ecclesiasticall causes of Africk and that the African Bishops and their causes and councels might be verie well and ought in some cases to be referred vnto the iudgment of the Bishop of Rome 23 Not long after Saint Augustin liued pope Leo the great who
of law if they looked not the better about them well to come to the answer there we haue first the ancient custome of appealing out of Africk to Rome confirmed by saint Ciprians authority and that by M. Abbots own confession Secondlie that the word perfidia is to be taken rather for error in faith then for perfidious reports appeareth for that it is there by S. Ciprian opposed as the contrarie to the true faith of the Romans which was by saint Paul commended and in the same Epistle saint Ciprian saith nulla societas fidei perfidiae potest esse still opposiing persidiousnes to faith So is it in the 57. Epistle where he affirmeth that if a novatian heretike should be put to death by the heathen persecutor for the Christian faith that death to him that dieth out of the church should bee non corona fidei sed paena perfidiae not a crowne of faith but a punishment of his misbelief and heresie Againe that you may perceiue there to haue been good cause for S. Ciprian to cōmend the faith of the Romanes you must obserue that there is mention made in the same sentence of false Bishops chosen by heretikes who sailed towards Rome were not they fitt instruments to prepare the way to heresie and misbelief and towardes the end of the same Epistle he plainly intimateth that they were to be assaulted by heretikes when he saith albeit I knew you could not be taken with the venime of haeretikes c. It was then not besides the purpose to intimate that such fellowes should find cold entertainment of the Romans vnto whom misbelief could haue no accesse besids in the next period going before speaking of the same sailers to Rome he cast this imputation vpon them quibus satis non fuit ab Evangelio recedere who thought it not enough for them to depart from the gospell And was it then from the purpose to giue them that caveat that they were like to lose their labour in sailing to Rome for relief Bicause misbelief could not bee welcome to the Romanes whose faith the Apostle had commended In a word was it not iust as much to S. Cipriās purpose to saie that falshood in faith could haue no accesse to the Romans as to speake of the Romans faith commended by the Apostle where faith being as everie man seeth to bee taken properly it must needs argue that that perfidiousnes in the next line lincked with the other must be taken for the flatr contrarie Seing then that the nature of the word doth allow that signification which I gaue it and saint Ciprian did so vse it often in that sence namely when he opposeth it against faith the circumstances also of the place and Authors intention better agreing with the same it is evident that M. Abbot doth but cauill against the true sence of the word which I gaue And would very absurdly haue it so taken that you must either plainly saie that S. Ciprian spake glosingly and vntruly or els did strāgely mistake his words putting could for should Ad quos perfidia non potest habere accessum for non debuit habere accessum vnto whom saith S. Cyprian perfidiousnes can haue no accesse vnto whom saith his corrector or rather corruptor M. Abbot perfidiousnes ought to haue no accesse Betwixt which two propositions there is verie broad difference as each man knoweth Now that in some rare case non potest is taken for non debet it cannot for it ought not doth not enforce that it must be so taken when it pleaseth M. Abbot but hee must giue men leaue to prefer and to follow the naturall and vsuall signification of the word before such a strange interpretation and wresting therof To that which in the end of his needles discourse of it cannot for it ought not Hee addeth that S. Ciprian with a councell of African Bishops did teach the rebaptising of them that were before baptised of heretikes against the knowne sentence of pope Stephen whence it followeth saith M. Abbot that they thought they might in matter of doctrine dissent from the Bishop of Rome or els they would haue submitted their opinion vnto his verdict To which I answere That either they tooke that doctrine which the pope of Rome deliuered vnto them in his letters to be deliuered as his owne priuat opinion to which they were not bound to conforme themselues Or els that in the heat of vpholding their errors as they declined from the true doctrine so they forgot their dutie to the sea of Rome Because the obstinate maintaining of one error doth oftentimes push on hoat disputers into another But when S. Ciprian was out of that humain passion a Cypriā Epist 55. he wrote as plainly as any mā could That schismes and heresies do not spring from any other fountaine then for that the sentence of one priest and Iudge in Christs steed is not harkened vnto That b Epistola 45. the church of Rome is to bee stuck vnto as to the roote of vnity and as the mother church to be observed and obeied And elswhere De vnitate Ecclesiae Qui Ecclesiae renititur resistit qui cathedram Petri super quam fundata est ecclesia deserit in ecclesia se esse confidit Can hee that forsaketh the chaire of Peter vpō which the church was built haue any confidence that he is himself in the church This and much more wrote Saint Ciprian to the verie high commendation of the church of Rome when he was out of that humor of rebaptization which fault of his was afterward by his constant martirdome purged As S. Austin testifieth who also saith Aug. epist 48. item l. 1. de baptis co donatistas ca. 18. that there wanted not some who held those writings which M. Abbot citeth for S. Ciprians either to be none of his or that he repented himself or them before he died And therfore should not now be cited for his But such ouersights of the fathers are the fittest foode for heretikes to feede vpon in them they find the best relish and therfore this taint of S. Ciprian is twise or thrice serued in as a dainty dish and drosse though it be yet is it often set vp as a bright starr to giue light and lustre to their goodly cause Now to that which followeth in his text he saith that my proofes hitherto were vayne yet those which follow are more vaine But god be thanked that the bare word of a vaine mā is but meere vanity 28 You haue alreadie heard how friuolous and idle his exceptions were against the sentences that I tooke out of those golden paire of most ancient Doctors and very glorious Martirs S. Irenaeus and S. Ciprian Now attend how simplie he behaueth himself in answering to that which I cited out of S. Ambrose S. Austen and S. Hierome No man can deny but that these holy learned fathers are for their persons without all exceptions
Romans that he should neuer afterward be able to lift vp his head against them in any matter of faith wherin S. Hierom seemes to bee so confident that he doubts not to write to Ruffinus that which M. Abbot may take as spoken to himself Notwithstanding know you that the Romane faith by the Apostles mouth praised S. Hieron Apol. 3. con Ruffinum Attamen scito Romanam fidem Apostolico ore laudatam eiusmodi praestigias non recipere Etiam si Angelus aliter annunciet quam semel praedicatum est Pauli auctoritate munitam non posse mâ—tari doth not admit anie such deceites and tromperies yea if an Angel should preach anie other thing besids that which hath been alreadie preached yet that faith being by the Apostles authoritie fortified could neuer bee changed will M. Abbot yet be so shameles as to stand vp and to giue this graue holie doctor the lie as he must needs do if hee will yet sing his old song and saie that the Roman faith notwithstanding all the Apostles praier and prophecie is foulie changed and that in verie manie great points with the forsaid testimonies may be linked for the antiquitie of it this that standeth on record in the third generall councell holden at Ephesus S. Peter the head of the Apostles and pillar of faith c. did receiue from Christ the keies of the kingdome of heauen c. and doth vnto this daie liue in his successors and determine causes And shall alwaies liue Behold S. Peter alwaies liueth in the Bishops of Rome his successors to determin causes and gouerne the church what then shall become of M. Abbots change will he make S. Peter also a changeling This point I will close vp with this memorable sentence of S. Leo. The soundnes of that faith praised in the prince of the Apostles is euerlasting Leo in serm 2. Assumptionis suae ad sumum Pontificem Soliditas enim illius fidei quae in Apostolorum Principe est laudata perpetua est Et sicut permanet quod in Christo Petrus credidit ita permanet quod in Petro Christus instituit c. Manet ergo dispositio veritatis beatus Petrus in accepta fortitudine petra perseuerans suscepta ecclesiae gâ—bernacula non reliquit and like as that which Peter beleeued of Christ continueth for euer so doth that which Christ did institute in Peter c. Therfore the ordinance of the truth standeth fast and blessed Peter perseuering by his successors in that strength of a rocke hath not forsaken the gouernment of the church Seing the faith and fortitude of Saint Peter shall continue for euer in his successors the bishops of Rome that cuckoes song of M. Abbots that the now church of Rome is in matter of faith degenerated from the old must needs be false And what more manifest signe can one demaund therof then that all the wits of the protestants hauing travailed after nothing more for this fiftie yeeres cannot yet find out any one errour in matter in faith wherin the church of Rome hath at any time dissented from her self in former ages I know right well that they avouch boldlie that it hath changed manie articles of faith but let him that will haue credit given to him so saying name the error it self in particuler and the time when it was first receiued and by what pope it was approued which if no learned Protestant be able to performe let them be well assured that repeat it neuer so often over and ouer that the church of Rome is not the same now as it was in S. Austins time they deserue not to be beleeued Neither am I ignorant that some more hardy then their fellowes haue gone about to designe the time when the church of Rome began her Apostacy But therin they agree no better then the false Elders that accused Susanna of adulterie did of the tree vnder which the fained fact was pretended to bee done And therfore be no more worthy of credit then they were 30 M. Abbot goeth on to proue that I racked and wronged my authors and saith that Tertullian whoÌ„ I alleaged as sending to the church of Rome to learne the true doctrine doth send also to other churches as well as to the church of Rome Be it so but if he appealed vnto the church of Rome as well as to others did I him any wrong in saying that he appealed vnto the church of Rome I did not saie that he excluded all or ane ony other Doth not M. Abbot rather rack my words and wrong himself in imposing that vpon mee which I said not Besids M. Abbot doth offer great wrong to Tertullian not so much by racking his words as by chopping them quite of in the middest for where Tertullian saith If thou border on Italy thou hast the church of Rome vnde nobis authoritas presto est whence authority comes to vs. M. Abbot cuts of the latter part of the sentence which imports that men in Africk for that was Tertullians countrie did acknowledg the church of Rome to haue authority ouer them M. Abbot then hauing so cunningly conueyed the matter by cutting of that which made for vs doth afterward aske mee what was there left to serve my turne if his conueiance be no cleanlier then so it were better for him to leaue those trickes ro them that haue more nimbles fingers The Cathalogue of the Bishops of Rome set downe by Epiphanius doth serue to shew that the Bishops of Rome are S. Peters true successors which M. Abbot and the protestants sometimes when they are at a stand do not stick to deny Optatus Bishop of Milevitane S. Austins auncient did proue as M. Abbot cannot deny his part to be Catholike in that it comunicated with the church of Rome yet M. Abbot to detract some what from the see of Rome addeth that Optatus did not proue his part Catholike by communicating simply with the church of Rome but for that communicating with the church of Rome it communicated with the church of the whole world which words of Optatus are so farr of from detracting any thing from the church of Rome that they do much magnifie the comodity of her communion for he saith not that he communicated with the church of Rome and with all other churches making them seuerall parts but that in communicating with the church of Rome he communicated with the churches of the whole world thereby declaring the comunion with the church of Rome to be the meanes of communicating with all others which is the very same that we do now go about to proove His words which containe manie memorable instructions are these spoken vnto Parmenianus a Donatist Thou canst not deny but that thou knowest an Episcopall chaire to haue been placed in the city of Rome Optatus mileuit l. 2. co parmenianum Igitur negare non potes scire te in vrbe Roma Petro primo Cathedram Episcopalem esse
circumstance of the very same Epistle S. Ierom finding the Bishops of the East vnder whom hee then liued to bee at fowle square about the word Hypostasis which may signifie either a substaÌ„ce or a person and being vehemently sollicited as a very learned man to deliuer his opinion whether they should say one or three hipostases would neither trust his owne learning which was singular nor rely vpon the iudgment of Paulinus by whom hee was made Priest who was both a very learned man and the patriarch of Antioch his proper pastor and prelate but knowing well that the finall and infallible resolution of all such doubts appertained vnto the Bishops of Rome addressed himself vnto him as vnto Christs vicar and S. Peters successor And was so far of from saying that hee would follow it no farther then hee followed S. Peter or from taking vpon himself so much as once to iudge of the popes senteÌ„ce that hee would beleeue and embrace whatsoever hee should determine Hiâ—ron epist 57. ad dama sum papam Disâ—ernite si placet obseero non ti meho tres hypostases dicere si iuhetis Ibidem Obtestor beatitudineÌ„ tuam per crucifixum vt mihi Epistolis tuis siue tacendarum siue dicendarum hypostaseon detuâ— auctoritas Ibidem Non nouivitalem miletum respuo ignoro Paulinum Quicunque tecum non colligit spargit hoc est qui christi non est Antichristi est and most instaÌ„tly besought Pope Damasus to commaund him and give him authority to say either three hypostases or but one And finally doth conclude that hee who would not be ruled by the pope in such doubtfull causes was none of Christs flocke but belonged to Antichrist Let S. Hierom then bee taken for a perfect patterne of true obedieÌ„ce vnto the popes senteÌ„ces and let M. Abbot staÌ„d for an exaÌ„ple of wranglers and perverters of the ancieÌ„t fathers true meaning And for that M. Abbot brags in the end of this discourse that hee told not one lie in it which might bee taken for a miracle if it were true Let the reader know that hee belieth here that worthy patriarch Paulinus Ex phan heres 77. wheÌ„ he saith of him that hee taught not the doctrine of Peter in that questioÌ„ For Paulinus was of no other opinioÌ„ touching the blessed Trinity then was that great light of that parte of the world S. Athanasius as witnesseth that sound recorder of antiquity most holy Bishop Epiphanius So that for no other cause in the world did S. IeroÌ„ write vnto pope Damasus for finall resolutioÌ„ of that difficulty theÌ„ for that hee was fully perswaded that it beloÌ„ged vnto the Bishop of Rome rather theÌ„ to any other Patriarch to determine all such hard doubtfull questioÌ„s M. Abbots key-cold glosse takeÌ„ out of Erasmus his scholies vpoÌ„ that Epistle is not worth the answering for hee being but a late and slipperie writer no fast hold can bee taken on him Againe his words bee as vncertaine as hee that spoke theÌ„ he supposeth that the Cyty of Rome may hap to degenerate in the end May hapso may hap no. So the Bishop of Rome do continue alwaies Orthodox as we make no doubt but through the vertue of our Saviours praier hee shall our pole-starr in darke questions shall alwaies remayne firme and cleere Though the city of Rome which god forbid should bee ouerrun either by the Turke or by any other wicked race of misbelieuers to wars the later end of the world as it was in the beginning of the Christian religion ruled by heathen Emperors Of M. Abbots interpretation of S. Peters faith and coÌ„fession hath been spoken sufficiently I hope in the first chapter whither I referre the Reader Hitherto of M. Abbots former resemblances betwene the Donatists and the Papists in steed of iustification wherof hee hath in each of them confessed some one oversight or other besids hee hath made many sorie shifts to vphold them And hath poudered them also with diuers vntruths M. Abbot hauing acquited himself so brauely in his precedent braÌ„ches of comparison now hee will no doubt as worthily and wisely multiply and increase them The first staffe of his multiplication staÌ„deth vpon Donatus the pope as hee stileth him but hee might more modestly haue termed him the Abbot of the Donatists R. AB THAT Archheretike exalted himself aboue the Emperor Optatus l. 3. co â—arm and therby as Optatus reporteth made himself more then a man euen as it were a God bicause there is none aboue the Emperor but God And albeit hee did not expresly call himself God yet he did that which was aequivalent for hee made his party to stand in more feare of him then they did of God Hee advanced himself aboue all other Bishops thinking none comparable to himself Is not the pope of Rome such another Hee hath exalted himself aboue all other Bishops he hath lifted himself aboue the Emperor and therby as Optatus concludeth made a god of himself Extrauag Iohis 22. Cum interim in glossa in edit Par. 1601. cuÌ„ priuilegio Gregorij 13. besids he in effect taketh vpon him to bee God by dispensing against the law of God and by disanulling the institution of Christ yea in very words hee hath yeelded to be called a god leaving yet standing in the glosse of the Canon Law vncorrected Our lord god the pope he will haue men stand in no lesse awe of him then of God himself whiles he maks shew of Gods anger at his coÌ„maund to inflict it where hee will W. B. IF mens owne inventions how silly soever seemed not vnto themselues ouer daintie pretious M. Abbot would haue chosen rather to haue blotted out his former childish resemblances then to haue added new vnto them of the like light nature This his first is so generall on the parte of the Donatists and so vnproper to bee applied to the pope and papists as he tearmeth them that it is worse then naught was there ever any Archheretike that preferred not his owne iudgement and inuention before both Popes and Emperors too if they could not get them to imbrace their heresies and in this high kind of pride and disdaine there was never any perhaps that passed the protestants Grandsier and Ringleader Martin Luther who with his Bible Luther libro aduersus Regem Angliae Ibidem was in his owne conceit to be preferd before a thousand Austins a thousand Ciprians and a thousand churches In the eie of the world I wil be saith hee so honest that they shall not be worthy to loose the lâ—â—chet of my shoe And touching my doctrine I am to Deuils Kaysars kings princes and to all the world too too froward and proude In glossa co praeten sum edictum Imperiale And in another place I Doctor Martin Luther of Iesus Christ an vnworrhy Euangelist do say that the Emperors of Rome Turky and Persia the Pope Cardinals Bishops priests fryers and
Romes supremacy Ergo there is no such matter in all the scripture M. Abbot blushing at the vglie shape of this ilfavoured argument to botch it out doth adde that by those seaven churches are figured the whole church of Christ and yet there is not a word in thē of the supremacie of the church of Rome I thinke well nor of thundreth matters moe that belonge to the christian religiō for these seaven short letters which S. Iohn writes to the seaven churches are contained within the compasse of three pages of one little leafe in octauo in their owne bible and can anie man bee so simple as to dreame that all the points of our faith are comprehended within them S. Iohn com̄ends the vertues reprehends the vices of those churches but doth treat of verie few points of doctrine and therfore no strange case if hee spake not of the supremacie of the church of Rome M. Abbots third argument the church of Rome hath a speciall caution given her not to presume vpon her stabilitie in the faith lest she fall Rom. 11.20 S. Paul saying to her Be not high minded but feare for if God spared not the naturall branches take heed also lest hee spare not thee Behold the bountifulnes of God towards thee if thou continue in his boūtifulnes or els also thou shalt bee cut of Ergo what hee had neede to bee a cūning fletcher that could make either a bolt or a shaft of this fit for the purpose First here is nothing at all against the church of Romes supremacie nor yet anie certaine assertion against her stability in the received faith For here is aswell a promise of Gods bountifulnes towards them if they will do well as a threat against them if they do evill Againe all this is besides the cushion for though that Epistle bee to the Romanes yet S. Paul there doth expresly direct that discourse not to the Romanes in particuler but in generall to all the Gentiles beginning it thus for to you Gentils I say c. Ibid. v. 13 and goes on with a comparison betweene the Iewes and the Gentils so that nothing is more perspicuous then that the warning there given is not speciall to the Romans but generall to all Gentiles These loe bee the foregallāts shal I saie or rather the forlorne hope of M. Abbots terrible argumēts marshalled by himself in the forefrōt of his batlle to daūt the Enemy are wee not like thinke you to haue a hott skirmish of it where such drosse and refuse of arguments are thought worthie the first and best place but it were pittie that such a bad cause should bee burnished sett out with anie better M. Abbot having given such a mighty pushe at our position cometh to confute that I said to witt that it is deduced out of Gods word rightly vnderstood according to the interpretation of the ancient fathers that the church of Rome is that rock vpon which Christ built his church against which the gates of hell shall never prevaile To which M. Abbot as though he went about to choke dawes saies that I giue him chalke for cheese bicause I promised a deduction out of the word of God and in steed therof bring an exposition of the ancient fathers Marke gentle reader my words and then thou canst not but find M. Abbot to be an egregious wrangler for I performed that deduction which I promised out of Gods word naming the verie place out of which it is deduced but because I ioyned with it according vnto the exposition of ancient fathers hee like a man scarse well in his wits cries out that in steed of scriptures I bring in an exposition of the fathers when I do make mention of the fathers exposition not as the ground of my deduction but onlie for the true sense of those words of holy scripture out of which I do make the said collection The deduction in my former booke was verie briefe bicause I did there point onlie at the places of holie scriptures out of which it might bee gathered the question of the supremacy being there but touched by the way wherof M. Abbot takes advantage and saies that I am dumbe and can say no more because I will not bee like to him and out of season thrust forth long discourses of by questions I hauing also before written a whole chapter of the supremacy in my second part against M. Perkins where M. Abbot saw well enough that I could haue said here much more of the same matter if need had so required but such is his impudencie that he cares not what hee saie so hee maie make a shewe to his simple reader that hee hath canvased his aduersarie seeing that M. Abbot hath here hudled together verie much of that matter I will more at large sett downe these deductions and orderlie confirme each member therof The first fountaine out of which all the rest do flow as riuers is this The chief superiority in governmēt and authoritie of power over all the church was by our blessed Saviour given to S. Peter and to his successors vnto the end of the world but the Bishops of Rome are S. Peters successors therfore the Bishops of Rome have from our saviours grant and gift authority of power and superiority of goverment over all the church The maior of this argument is to bee deduced out of the word of God the minor being a matter of fact and that which hapned after S. Peters death to wit who was his successor shall haue sound proofe out of the most approved testimony of the best witnesses since that age All which being performed the conclusion that the Bishop of Rome hath supreme commaunding power over all the church must needs stand most assured That our blessed saviour gaue superiority of government to S. Peter vnder the metaphore of a rocke or foundation in building when he said Thou art Peter Math. 16 and vpon this rocke I will build my church Thus I proue Christ made Peter the rock or foundation of his church therfore he gaue to him the chiefest place of government in it for as the foundation is first placed and doth vphold all the rest of the building so he that is the foundation in the spirituall building of Christes church hath the chiefest place therin is to com̄and over all the rest To make this more perspicuous we must call to mind that amongest other titles and names of the church of God one is a house as the Apostle sheweth that thou maist knowe how to converse in the house of God 2. Tim. 3.15 which is the church and the faithfull are called by the same Apostle 1. Cor. 3.9 Ephes 4.12 the building of God Dei aedificatio estis Againe God gaue some Apostles some Doctors c. to the building vp of the bodie of Christ S. Paul as a wise Architect laid the foundation and others builded thervpon Now in that supernaturall and
thing in this matter is that rocke vpon which Christ built his church Is not this deduction plaine enough But what will you say if the same most Autentike Doctor do in expresse tearmes affirme the church of Rome to bee that self same rocke then all the world maie see that to bee most apparantly true which I said And M. Abbot must needes confesse that hee ouershot himself verie grosly These bee S. Austins owne words come my brethren if you please August in Psalco partem donati Venite fratres si vultis vt inseramini in vite dolor est cum vos videmus praecisos ita iacere Numerate Sacerdotes ab ipsa Petri sede in ordine illo patrum quiâ— cui successit videre ipsa est petra quaÌ„ non vincunt superba inferorum porta and bee graffed in the vine It grieveth vs to behold you lying so cutt of Recken the priests even from the seate of Peter and in that rew of fathers regard to whom who succeeded that seate is the rocke which the proud gates of hell do not overcome The seat of Peter and succession of Bishopâ— of Rome is that rock in S. Austins iudgment against which hell gates shall not prevaile was not that the verie same rocke vpon which Christ built his church S. Hierom was another most learned Doctor of the ancient church Hier. Epist 57. ad Damasum Ego nullum primum nisi Christum sequens beatitudini tua id est Cathedra Petri communione consocior super illam petram aedificatain ecclesiam scio as all the learned know hee testifieth the same most plainly in these words vnto Damasus then Bishop of Rome I following none as chief but Christ am in communion associated vnto your holines that is vnto the chaire of Peter vpon this rocke I know the church of Christ to bee builded Lo S. Hierom knew and confessed S. Peters chaire in which Damasus the pope then sate to bee the same rocke vpon which Christ built his church Pope Iulius the first was yet a more ancient and a verie holie and grave father hee teacheth the same plainlie in these words Ex Iulij increpatoria ad Orientales Ipsa Romana sedes omnibus maior praelata est ecclesijs quae non solum Canonum sanctorum patrum decretis sed D. Saluatoris nostri voce singularem obtinuit principatum Tu es inquit Petrus super hanc petram adificabo ecclesiam meam The sea of Rome is preferred before all churches which not only by decrees of Canons and holie fathers hath obtained that singuler principalitie but by the voice of our lord when hee said Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my church If the church of Rome by these words of our Saviour vpon this rock I will build my church were preferred before all others as that graue holie prelate teacheth then must it needes follow that the church of Rome was the rock vpon which Christ built his church Damasus was also a very ancient holy Ex Epistola 4. B Damasi ad Stephanum Epist Concilia Aftiâ—ae Scitis fratres dilectiss firmamentum à deo fixum immobile atque titulum lucidissimum suorum sacerdotum id est omnium Episcoporum Apostolicam sedem esse constitutam verticem Ecclesiarum Tu es enim sicut diuinum pronuntiat verbum Petrus super hanc petram adâ—ficabo Ecclesiam meam and learned Prelate he writeth in this sort you know most beloued brethren the Apostolik see of Rome to be constituted by God a fixed and vnmoueable firmament a most bright title of all byshops and topp of churches euen as the word of God doth pronunce saying thou art Peter and vpon this rock I will build my church he then also took and expounded those words of Christ to appertaine vnto the see of Rome The testimonie of these fewe ancient renowmed fathers is more then sufficient to iustifie what I said and to assure the vpright readers that some of the ancient fathers did interprete the church of Rome to bee that rock vpon which our Saviour built his church wherby they maie see how vnciuilly M. Abbot dealt with mee having no other ground for it then his owne ignorance coopled with audaciousnes Bicause M. Abbot doth in this paragraff thrust in here and there manie broken sentences out of the fathers against the supreme authoritie of the Bishop of Rome I hold it convenient to fortifie the same with some select testimonies of the best renowmed prelates of the Greeke and Easterne churches for if they whom it concerned most to stand for the dignitie and prerogatiues of their owne churches being the greatest personages in that part of the world which was farthest of from Rome do neuertheles acknowledg the Bishop of Rome to haue had in the time of pure antiquitie commanding authoritie and power over themselues and their churches then no vnpartiall and vpright mind can doubt but that the church of Rome alwaies hath had or should haue had authoritie of power and superioritie in goverment over all other churches of the world Athanasius one of the prime Doctors of the Greeke church both for holynes of life greatnes of learning soundnes of faith and by his place patriarch of Alexandria which was the highest seat in the easterne coasts This most reverend Archbishop and renowmed Champion of Christs church being grievously persecuted by the Arrian heretikes and verie iniuriously thrust out of his Bishoprike by their meanes made his recourse vnto Iulius then pope of Rome and besought him to call his aduersaries being also Easterne Bishops to Rome to answer there for those wrongs that they had done him by which fact of his he acknowledged most perspicuously the church of Rome to haue power and authoritie over Easterne Bishops to determine their ecclesiasticall causes Thus it standes of record in the Ecclesiasticall history Athanasius flying from AlexaÌ„dria went to Rome Zozomen lib. 3. histor cap. 7. Athanasius autem fugiens Alexandria Romam venit codem tempore Paulus etiam Constantinopolitanus Episcopus forte illuâ— accessit Marcellus quoque Episcopus Anciroe Azelopus Gazae c. Lucius Adrianopoli Quorum criminationes cum Episcopus Romanus intellexisset omnes fidei Concilij Nicenâ— consentientes reperisset in communionem recepit Ac cum propter sedu dignitatem cura omnium ad cum spectaret singulis suam Ecclesiam restituit scripsitque ad Episcopos Orientis cosque incusavit quod inconsulto de his viris iudicassent deditque mandatum vt quidam illorum nomine ad diem constitutum accederent qui etiam minatus est se de reliquo non passurum eos invltos nisi novis rebuâ— studere desisterent Paulus Bishop of Constantinople another great sea of the Greeke church was also fled thither for succour and diuers other Bishops of the said Easterne church whose accusations when the Bishop of Rome had heard
called into question by vntowardlie and degenerous Children that either wilfullie run out of her house to follow their owne pleasure and fancies or are for pure feare falne away from her and forsaken her ordinances M. Abbot admitting as it were that other churches should according to S. Irenaeus rule conforme themselues in matter of doctrine to the church of Rome yet to giue vs a tast of the subtility of his shifting witt addeth that ther is in that place of Irenaeus nothing for her superiority in goverment well that being once granted that all other churches should for matter of doctrine accord with the church of Rome it would theron necessarily follow that the church of England and consequently his maiestie ought to do the same which was all that I sued for yet over and besides Irenaeus words being well weighed do import also a superiority in goverment to be resident in that church which I proue bicause he saies that other churches must of necessity accord with the church of Rome for her more poteÌ„t principality Now if the church of Rome haue power and principality over other churches And do impose a necessitie vpon them of according vnto it it must needes haue superiority in goverment over them or els the other could not be bound of necessitie to follow it M. Abbot doth grammatically descant first vpon this word principalitie and saies that it may signâ—fie eminencie in estimation though not superioritie in goverment And that it maie bee potent also to move by example and perswasion only not by commaundement Be it so that these words maie be wrested into some such signification as what words be there that may not be diuerslie construed yet everie reasonable man will soone see that power and principalitie do properly import a commaunding superiority And will as easily graunt that the fathers words are rather to be fairly taken according to the more vsuall signification then in anie such forced sense and construction Againe seing that power and superioritie did even as S. Irenaeus expresseth impose a necessitie vpon others of conforming themselues to the church of Rome it could not bee that imagined superioritie of M. Abbots which imposeth no such necessitie wherfore it remaines evident that M. Abbot is driuen to flie from the vsuall signification true meaning of S. Irenaeus words In like manner M. Abbot to cast some better colour vpon his new devised principalitie or rather to shift over into another matter that seemes more plausible writeth thus 20 That M. Bishop may vnderstand I do not answere him by a deuise of mine Cypr. l. 1. Epist 3. but according to the truth hee shall find that Ciprian calleth the chuâ—ch of Rome the princ pall church and yet in the same place he denieth the authority of the Bishops in Africa to be inferiour vnto the Bishops of Rome M. Abbot and other Protestants cannot choose but stand in bodily feare so often as they appeale vnto the ancient fathers for support of their novelties for you shall scarse find any one of them that doth not in the verie place alledged by the Protestants giue them such a bob that everie beholder maie plainly see they do not favour their cause nor are content to be called in for their witnesses Let S. Cyprian now cited by M. Abbot serve for an example This is the sentence out of which M. Abbot picked the former words Cypr. l. 1. Epist 3. iuxta pamel Epist 55. Post ista adhuc insuper pseudo-Episcopo sibi ab haereticis constituto nauigare audent ad Petri cathedram atque ad EcclesiaÌ„ principalem vnde vnitas sacerdotalis â—rta est a schismaticis profanis litteras ferre nec cogitare eos esse Romanos quorum fides Apostolo praedicante laudata est ad quos perfidia habere non posset accessum After those things and more also after a false Bishop appointed them by Heretiks they dare saile to the chaire of Peter and vnto the principall church whence priestlie vnity hath its beginning and carrie letters from schismatikes and prophane fellowes not remembring that such are the Romanes whose faith is praised by the Apostles voice vnto whom perfidie can haue no accesse I set downe the whole passage because by and by we must treate of the later part therof as well as now of the former where is sufficientlie declared that S. Ciprian tooke the church of Rome to be principall not onlie in estimation but in order of goverment which I proue First because hee affirmes the church of Rome to be S. Peters chaire and consequently to be endued with like authoritie that S. Peter enioyed vpon whom as S. Ciprian in twentie places avoucheth the church of Christ was builded Secondly he describes it to be that principall church which is the fountaine of priestly and ecclesiasticall vnitie which could not be vnles it had power and authoritie to compell all other churches to stand to her order and therby to hold all in vnitie of faith and vniformity of religioÌ„ For as all the world now seeth there neither is nor can bee in mans iudgment any vnitie in faith or religious rites among Protestants bicause there is no one soveraigne coÌ„mauÌ„der over them all indued with authoritie to coÌ„pell the rest to agree in one And in the self same Epistle S. Cip. coÌ„firmeth this verie poiÌ„t in these memorable words Heresies haue not risen Cyprian ibidem Neque enim aliunde haereses orta sunt aut nata sunt schismata quam inde quod sacerdoti dei non obtemperatur nec vnus in ecclesia ad tempus sacerdos ad tempus iudex vico Christi cogitatur nor schismes sprong from any other roote then for that obedience is not yeelded to one priest and for that one priest for the time and one Iugde is not accepted of in Christs steed Do you see by S. Cyprians sentence that the only way to root out heresies and to accord schismes is to acknowledg one priest for soveraigne Iudge in ecclesiasticall cases and to obey him as Christs vicegerent on earth Such a soveraigne Iudge is hee that sits in S. Peters chaire and that principall church of Rome by S. Ciprians owne assertion in the former period or els Ecclesiasticall Discipline could not draw its originall vnitie thence Thus much here to prove that the principall church in that place of S. Ciprian is to be taken for the principall in authoritie and goverment Now to the other part S. CipriaÌ„ denieth not the Bishops in Africa to be inferior vnto the Bishop of Rome but blameth such troublesome fellowes that would not rest quiet and content with their owne Bishops iudgment but flie abroad to molest others with their brawles as though their owne Bishops had not sufficient authority or witt to compose and end their quarrells at home S. Ciprian supposeth that their churches in Afrike had no less authority then others churches to order such matters but neither names the
for imitation the knowen and confessed faults and blemishes of men otherwise good How much more sincerly deale wee who desire all men to follow S. Ciprian in all other matters saving in that one wherin hee failed and not to lay hold of words then spoken in passion by him to make good his errour specially when they be coÌ„trary even vnto himself when he was his owne man and out of that distemper whence also we do gather this Christian observation worthie to be deepely printed in everie Christian mans hart If such great learned personages as were S. Ciprian and Policrates when they would not harken vnto the sentence of the Popes of Rome did fall into errour what a warning is that vnto men of meaner wits and much lesser learning to take heed that they swarne not one haires bredth from the popes definitions in matter of doctrine lest withall they decline from the truth as their betters by many degrees haue done before them when they would not be ruled 25 Out of Africke M. Abbot sailes into Asia taking over great paines to search out some poore relief for his bad cause and saies they did not imagine any such principality to appertain vnto the church of Rome And for proofe therof brings in that which rather proveth the contrarie to witt that Leo the great for the loue of peace yeelded to them in a faultie definitioÌ„ of theirs about the observation of Easter If that worthy pope should haue condescended vnto those Asians rather then to haue contended with them doth not that rather argue that he was their superior and might haue dealt more severly with them if he had taken it for the better course Leo Epistola 93. n. 4. But I reading over all that Epistle cited by M. Abbot do not find it so as he reportes but that these Asians were rather Priscilian heretikes whom that holy pope much blameth and condemneth for their evill observation of Easter without anie yeelding vnto them wherfore I cannot see to what other purpose that can serue than to shew that the bishope of Rome had commanding power in Asia M. Abbot recuils back to Hierome affirming him not to haue believed any such matter of the popes principality who of purpose as hee faineth did write in the derogation of the church of Rome saying Hieron Epist ad EvagriuÌ„ that if authority be required the whole world is greater then one City why dost thou bring mee the custome of one Citty why dost thou vphold a few who being proud vsurpe vpon the lawes of the church Saint Hierom was alwaies a most valiant Champion of the church of Romes authority Epist 57. and of her infallible definitions in matter of faith as every one may plainly see in his epistle to Pope Damasus and elswhere Epist 57. yet for matter of fact neither he nor any other I thinke will go about to excuse the church or rather the court of Rome wholy In the place that M. Abbot doth alleage Hieron Epist 77. he findâ— fault with some Deacons of the court of Rome that did take place before priests which seemed in that humble Doctors eie a great moate growing out of the presumption of some few vsurping against â—he lawes and coÌ„mon custome of the church And in such a case as that the custome of all the world besids was no doubt to bee preferred before the custome of that citie onely or rather as Saint Hierom himself interpreteth it of some few proud deacons of that citie But heerhence to inferr that S. Hierom did not acknowledg the primacy of that sea is too too simple and rather to be laughed at theÌ„ otherwise answered That which followeth out of S. Ambrose is of the same soary sute for that most grave holy father saith I desire in all things to follow the church of Rome Ambros de Sacramentis lib. 3. ca. 10. Cupio inâ— omnibus sequi Romanamâ— Ecclesiamâ— sed tamen nos homines sensum habemus ideò quod alibi rectius seruatur nos recte custodimus but we also are men that haue vnderstanding and therfore what is more rightly obserued elswhere we iustly observe the same S. Ambrose speakes there of rites and ceremonies vsed in the administration of the sacraments in which it was lawfull then for so excellent a prelate as saint Ambrose was to make his choise of the best Yea S. Gregorie the great would not so strictly tie S. Austin our English Apostle brought vp at Rome vnto the ceremonies of the church of Rome but willed him if he saw any ceremonies in the church of France Ex Bedae Histo l. 10. c. 27. Mihi placet vt siue in Romana siue in Galliarum siue in qu ilibet ecclesia aliquid inuenisti quod plus omnipotenti Deo possit placere solicite eligas c. that might better please God or more moue those new converted Christians vnto greater devotioÌ„ to make his choice of them rather then to retaine the rites of Rome whervpon if any man should be so simple as to collect that S. Gregory did not aknowledg the pope or church of Romes principality were he not to be begged for an innocent In the like tearmes stands M. Abbot that would out of Saint Ambrose choise of some ceremonies different from the church of Rome Inferr that S. Ambrose did not acknowledg the pope of Romes supremacy Let it be noted by the way that S. Ambroâ—e who was so graue and iudicious a Doctour and S. Austins father in Christ desired in all things to follow the church of Rome That their spirit and disposition who desire in all things to depart from the same church may be discovered and taken to bee quite contrarie to the holy spirit of the most approved ancient fathers 26 M. Abbot like vnto a man that is shooting at Rovers observing no certain method returnes back to the councell of Chalcedon avouching that it did not acknowledg that principality of the church of Rome Concil Chalced. Act. 15. can 28. These be his words drawen out of that councell The priviledges of the church of Rome were gâ—ven to it by the fathers before because that citie was the seat of the Empire and vpon the same consideration doth give the church of Constantinople equall priviledg with the church of Rome it being then the seat of the Empire W. B. HEre are two or three grosse faults First wheras this councell is cited as not acknowledging the principality of the church of Rome It doth cleane contrarie in the first words cited by M. Abbot acknowledg that priviledg to belong vnto the same church of Rome whether it had that by the institution of Christ or for that it was the seat of the Empire is not now materiall of it I haue said somthing before and haue much more to say when occasion shall serue But to M. Abbots condemnation his owne witnes doth depose that the church of Rome had
fault as meriteth the losse therof much more the church of Rome being the most honorable congregation of Christendome ought to hold her due estimation and credit and enioy all her priviledges vntill it bee lawfully proved that it hath iustlie deserved to bee deprived of them for in dubijs mel or est conditio possidentis In all doubtfull causes shee that is and hath been fifteen hundreth yeres in possession is to keepe it still I grant that when S. Austin either defended the honour of the church of Rome or magnified the society and communion with it did thervnto ioyne some other church But the mention of them not being to our present purpose what reason had I to recite that which was needlesse when as every man knowes that aswell as then so now whosoever shall recōcile himself to the church of Rome hee shall therby reenter into communion with all other Catholike churches throughout the whole world And wheras M. Abbot would haue his credulous reader suppose that S. Austin made no more reckoning of the church of Rome then hee did of any others That is flat contrary to that which S. Austin setteth downe in the very same place who to prevent that Cavill doth enterlace this Parenthesis in the honour of the church of Rome where alwaies florished the primacie of the Apostolicall chaire And in his Epistle 165. being to giue an instāce of the perpetuall successiō of pastors in the church maketh choice of the church of Rome as of the better assured and more safe and sound there doth intimate that the Bishops of Rome though they might liue amisse yet should never faile to instruct aright all that seeke vnto them for resolutions of their doubts in matter of faith wherfore M. Abbot if hee will giue credit vnto that most holy and learned Doctor whom aswell protestants as wee do esteeme for one of the soundest recorders of antiquity hee must needs yeeld vnto the church of Rome both that it is the principall of all the rest and that it shall for ever continue the most assured Oracle of the holy Catholike faith which if hee refuse to do hee leaueth apparent proofe vnto all the world that hee had rather with the Donatists raile at her and revile her then with S. Augustine and other holy prelats extoll and magnify the primacy of that Apostolicall chaire and defend the ever durable succession of her pastors as wel in truth of doctrine as in order of persons of which I haue more largly spoken in the 2. Section of the first chapter n. 29. VVHETHER EVERY CHRISTIAN MAIE BEE Saued in his owne religion albeit therein bee some errors in matter of faith BECAVSE M. Abbot in the precedent chapter granteth that the Roman church and the church of our forefathers in England were true members of the Catholike church and consequently in the state of Salvation albeit hee esteemeth them infected with sundrie grosse Errors And for that I otherwise know that verie many remarkable persons in our countrie do greatlie desire to heare this question more exactly discussed I thought it more convenient to let the ensuing chapters of M. Abbors trifling booke to rest for a season and presently to fall in hand with this matter which is no lesse longed after then it is necessarie to bee knowen For the more particular explication of this weightie difficulty whether everie one maie bee saued in his owne religion or no I leaving a full treatise therof vnto them that haue better leisure thinke good to touch these three points I. First whether hee that beleeueth aright in the one living and eternall God and liueth honestly may bee saued without expresse beliefe in Iesus Christ our Saviour II. Secondly whether beleeving aright both in God almightie Creator of heaven and earth and in Iesus Christ our redeemer with all other fundamentall points of the Christian religion hee may bee saued that doth therewith beleeve amisse in some other articles of the Christian faith III. Thirdly I will adde a word or two about the publike profession of the same Christian faith because besides an honest life and a true belief that also is necessary to salvation I tooke it not amisse to handle briefly the first point although there bee few Christians that make any doubt of it because I my self haue heard some good soules verie vertuously given but not sufficiently instructed to bee of opinion that it made no great matter what religion they professed so they feared God and led an honest life amōg their neighbors Their opinion seemed to issue out of Good nature and a great loue of honest life and vpright dealing which they saw to bee wonderfully decaied and almost perished in our miserable coūtrie The best reason that I can frame in favour of their error is this Almightie God is most mercifull full of goodnes and compassion towards all his owne creatures hee knowes our inbred ignorance and weaknes and therfore is not likely to bee highly offended against them that do their endevour to serue him accordīg to their knowledge and capacitie how slender soeuer it be Now manie there bee in the wide world brought vp among Turkes infidells that never heard of or at the least never had sufficiently declared vnto them that Iesus Christ is the Saviour of the world wherfore it seemes that such may bee saued without faith in him And among vs Christians some bee so dull of capacitie and blockish or haue been so extreame ignorantly or evilly brought vp that they haue not been well taught to beleeve in the Saviour of the world Christ Iesus may not their grosse ignorance beg their pardon att our most mercifull Lord his hands Besides S. Paul declaring what is necessarie for him to beleeve that will approach vnto God seemeth to require but two things The one that hee beleeue that God is the other that hee is a rewarder of all them that seeke vnto him Hebr. 11.6 Hee that cometh to God must beleeve that hee is and is a rewarder to them that seeke him But wee maie well beleeue that God is to wit a spirit of infinite goodnes wisdome power the Creator conserver and soveraigne ruler of heaven and earth and of all things in them also that as hee hath created all things of his inestimable goodnes and preserveth and governeth all with incomprehensible wisdome and equitie So hee will in the end as high Iudge of the quicke the dead call all reasonable creatures to an account of their dutifull behauiour towards their so good and high maker preserver ruler and out of his immense bountie most aboundantlie reward all them that haue in this life sought vnto him and diligentlie serued him And on thother side severely punish them that haue neglected their dutie towards him and transgressed his holie commaundements All this I say and much mor◠one maie beleeue without the knowledg of Christ therfore it seemes possible that some men maie obtaine saluation
directed a most graue and learned letter vnto the Bishops of Africa wherin he decreed some Bishops there to be deposed Leo episcopus vniuersis Episcopis per Caesariensem Mauritaniam in Africa constitutis Epistola 87. Cum de ordinationibus sacerdotum quaedam apud vos illicite vsurpata crebrior ad nos sermo perferret ratio pietatis exegit vt pro solicitudine quam vniuersae ecclesiae exdiuina institutione dependimus rerum fidem studeremus agnoscere c. Ibidem c 2. Causam quoque Lupicini episcopi illic iubemus audiri cui multum ac saepe postulenti coÌ„munioneÌ„ hac raiâ—one reddâ—mus quoniam ad nostrum iudicium prouocassâ— immerito cum pendente negotio a comunionâ— videbamus fuisse suspensum others to be continued in their office and restored one Lupicinus by name to his Bishoprick who being deposed by the Bishops of that prouince of Africa had appealed from their sentence vnto the same Leo Bishop of Rome which is a manifest evidence that the Bishops of Africk did aclwaies aknowledg the Bishop of Rome his superiority and coÌ„manding power over the Bishops of their countrie victor vticensis liued also verie shortlie after S. Austin and before Eulalius he writing in that interim in which M. Abbot doth beare vs in haÌ„d that the church of Africa was fallen out with the Church of Rome he I saie a verie godlie Bishop a grave and learned Historiographer rehearseth How Eugenius Archbishop of Carthage for conferring with the vandale Honoricus then by inuasion king of the greatest part of Africk and an Arrian heretike said vnto his deputie If the kingly power desire to know our faith Victor vticens de persecut vand l 2. Si nostram fidem quae vna vera est potestas Regis cognoscere desiderat mittat ad amicos suos scribam ego fatribus meis vt veniant coepiscopi qui coÌ„muneÌ„ fidem nostram valeant demonstrare praecipue Romana ecclesia quae caput est omnium ecclesiarum c. which is the only true faith you may consult with your councell And I will write vnto my brethren and especially vnto the church of Rome which is the head of all churches and we togeather will declare vnto your Maiestie that faith which is common to vs all Behold how even immediatly after that councell of Africk when M. Abbot dreamed the Bishops of Africa to be fallen awaie from the sea of Rome The primate of Carthage the chief citie in all Africk acknowledged the church of Rome to be the head of all the churches and that for the resolution of matter of faith that sea of Rome was principallie to bee consulted I need not descend anie Lower bicause M. Abbot himself doth relate how Eulalius Archbishop of Carthage who liued the next age after acknowledged the popes supremacie and made that countrie of Africk subiect vnto it Seing then that cleaven hundreth yeres agoe when Eulalius liued by M. Abbots owne confession the popes had soueraign commaund over the churches of Africk and before even vp to Saint Cyprian and Tertullians time which was within 200. yeeres after Christ the same church of Rome was by the principall pillars and lights of Africk esteemed the mother church of the world and roote of Christian vnity vnto which some of their Bishops in all ages did appeale for succour some others did referr the decrees of their councels to be confirmed acknowledging the Bishop of Rome to haue power to assemble councels in Africk and to condemne heretikes all the world over was not M. Abbot fowly over seen and did he not ouer-reach most grieuously when he said that the Bishops of Africke denied the Bishop of Rome to haue anie authority over them and forbad him to intermeddle with matters of their country I haue staid the longer vpon this fact of the African Bishops bicause the Protestants make such reckening of it I will with more speede dispatch that which followeth M. Abbot obiâ—cteth that Anicetus the pope could not perswade Policarpus to keepe the feast of Easter after the manner of Rome therby intimating that Policarpus was not acquainted with that potent principality of the church of Rome I answer that not withstanding the confessed acknowledgment of the popes supremacy no man is bound to follow all his opinions or to imbrace his aduises or perswasions onlie he is of dutie to obey his expresse commaundements wherfore Anicetus not binding Policarpus by anie mandate to alter his opinion thence cannot bee gathered anie disobedience of Policarpus though it be most certain that Anicetus was in the truth and thother in errour for that the feast of Easter should haue been kept of all churches according vnto the manner of Rome And so it was afterward defined in the first generall councell of Nice As do witnes a Athanas epistola de Ariminensi concilio Athanasius Eusebius b Euseb de vita constant l. 3. v. 17. Epiphanius heres 69. Socrates histor lib. 1. cap. 6. Theodoret. histor 1. cap. 10. Nicephorus histor lib. 8. cap. 19. Nevertheles Anicetus out of the spirit of lenity was content to beare with Policarpus being a holy reverend and Apostolicall man Pope victor afterward seing the same errour creeping further abroad and beginning to infect euen the westerne church thought it fitter to vse his authoritie to driue the churches of Asia from the custome of the Iewes vnto conformity with the church of Rome Neither is it apparent nor so certaine as M. Abbot would haue it seeme that Policrates did disobey his sentence of excommunication for those his words cited by M. Abbot are set downe in Eusebius Euseb l. 5. histor c. 22. 23. when the question was yet in examination and before the sentence pronounced So that he might verie well as his duty required after he saw the popes definitiue sentence conforme himself thervnto though before hee was of another mind And he being otherwise a verie godly and a learned prelate is to be presumed and taken to haue done that which he ought to do the contrary not being able to be prooued S. Ciprian whom M. Abbot citeth next as all the learned know erred in that point of rebaptizing them that were before baptized by heretikes and therin out of humane frailtie offended by not conforming his opinion vnto Stephen Bishop of Rome forgetting his owne iudgment giuen and often repeted when he was out of that distempered moode to witt that heresies and schismes do Cypr. Epistola 55. Neque alâ—unde haereses ortae sunt aut nata sunt schismata quam inde quod Sacerdoti Dei non obtemperatur c. grow out of no other roote then that the voice of one priest and iudge for the time in Christs steed is not harkened vnto and many such like M. Abbot to testify to the world that he is a blind guid and williÌ„g to lead his feollowers into the ditch is not ashamed to propound vnto them